Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
SPYM vs STEN: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, SPYM returned +13.7% to STEN's +12.6%, and SPYM charges 0.02% to STEN's 0.50%.
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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $185.0bn for State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF and $57m for iShares Large Cap 10% Target Buffer Sep ETF.
Pair scorecard
SPYM costs 0.48 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.1 points; SPYM is far larger, $185.0bn against $57m.
| Measure | SPYM | STEN |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +13.7% | +12.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 1.5% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 1.2% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | S&P 500 Index | IVV |
| The outcome period | ||
| Room to the cap | 17.9% | |
| Buffer left, in index points | 9.5% of 9.5% | |
| Days left in the period | 338 | |
| Period ends | Sep 30, 2027 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.02% | 0.50% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $185.0bn | $57m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| In the S&P 500, by weight | 100% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 38.1% | |
Side by side
SPYM and STEN on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
SPYM
SPYM tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.7% with distributions reinvested, against +13.7% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.02% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 506 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.
STEN
From its price on Oct 27, 2026, the fund can gain about 17.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, IVV can fall 1.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.5% of the 9.5% buffer still sits below today's IVV level. 338 days remained on Oct 27, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Are SPYM and STEN in the same category?
- SPYM is a stock ETF and STEN is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, SPYM or STEN?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, SPYM returned +13.7% and STEN +12.6%.
- Which is cheaper, SPYM or STEN?
- SPYM is cheaper, by 0.48 percentage points a year. That is about $48 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, SPYM against STEN, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spym-vs-sten
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). SPYM against STEN. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spym-vs-sten
[SPYM against STEN (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spym-vs-sten)
Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.